//------------------------------// // Lesson Zero... // Story: Zero Point // by GJT_Productions //------------------------------// "I can't wait to read Twilight's... what's wrong?" "There's a lot wrong, Cadance." "What do you mean?" "You'd better let your aunt explain it to you..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The extreme worry on Acting Captain Shining Armor's face very quickly brought down Princess Cadance's previously-perky mood, and by the time she is escorted into Princess Celestia's suite she is very somber indeed. Princess Celestia herself was at the moment somberly facing a floating magic screen, although neither Cadance nor Shining Armor could see what was on the screen. "Aunt Celly, what's...?" Cadance naturally starts asking her aunt, only to stop and gasp in horror when she sees what Celestia was looking at. "There was an 'incident' in Ponyville today. I had to go fix it myself." Celestia somberly comments, grimly staring at the image of Twilight Sparkle in the middle of the "freakout" that had happened earlier that day. "Incident? Was it because Twilight...?" Cadance hazards a guess, basing her questions on her knowledge of Twilight's quirks of behavior. "Yes, Cadance, it was." Shining Armor somberly answers. "Discord's attack, even though he didn't intend it that way, helped smooth over a lot of the problems that had been there previously. Twily couldn't find a 'friendship problem' for this week because of that, so it appears she tried to make one with the 'Want It, Need It' spell instead. And it got all the way to Class X as a result." "Oh no..." Cadance comments, performing a facehoof with a gilded forehoof. The "Want It, Need It" spell - Twilight's variation of Cadance's own "eros" magic - was one Twilight had personally promised Cadance never to use without getting Cadance's permission beforehand. The usage of that spell meant that a "Class X" incident - which both Cadance and Shining defined as an incident which the misuse of magic directly threatened the health and life of other ponies - was very likely to happen. "Fortunately, Spike was able to send out an advance warning in time for me to keep things from getting out of control." Princess Celestia comments. "Still, the fact she resorted to such measures makes me very worried that the calm isn't all that it seems..." "You mean that Discord has affected the minds of others more powerfully than you initially thought?" Shining asks, it being his turn to hazard a guess this time. "Yes, Captain." Princess Celestia answers. "The promotion ceremony will still proceed as originally scheduled, but I fear that this will be exploited to discredit all my efforts..." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MEANWHILE... "Well sure Lieutenant, I'm glad to help, but wouldn't you at least take a look at the new tuxedo line before you go?" Rarity was pleading to the stallion already halfway out the door of Carousel Boutique. "Sorry ma'am, but I've got a report that I need to bring back to Canterlot tomorrow!" Lieutenant Crispin shouts back as he speeds away. Rarity is still trying to process the stunning speed of what had just happened when Applejack cautiously pokes her head in through the doorway to the boutique. She takes a look left, then right, before entering and proceeding to the workbench behind which Rarity had been working before her interruption. "Was he just in here?" Applejack asks Rarity. "You mean your cousin?" Rarity asks in return, still looking a bit dazed. "Crispin, yes." "What do you need him for?" "Well, we don't need him for anything specifically. Granny Smith and I have been noticin' that... somethin' ain't right 'bout him." "... So are you saying there's something wrong with him, like Twilight was at the picnic?" "I'm not entirely sure, but he's been acting very strangely since last weekend." "Yes, I've noticed that too. Caramel and Lucky Clover next door have been telling me Crispin has been having mares over frequently in his apartment, even bought a bed for two when he lives by himself!" "I don't think I've heard 'bout that yet, but there's definitely somethin' goin' on with him. What was he in here for?" "He was asking me some questions about what Twilight was acting like earlier today..." "When she was all worried about Princess Celestia sending her back to magic kindergarten or somethin' like that?" "Exactly." "Hmm... well, I don't know if he's supposed to be making a report for his superiors or somethin' like that. I'll have Dash keep an eye on him. Why don't you ask your neighbors and see if they know anythin' about what's going on?" "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Anything else I can help you with?" "Sorry, Rarity, gotta get back to work. Big Mac's found himself a new toy, somehow, and Granny and I are havin' a hard time pullin' him away from it." "... I see. Well, good luck with that..." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applejack silently turns away and back out of the boutique, leaving Rarity alone in her work again. She held her eyebrow raised expression for a minute, then shook her head, simply chalking up the events to the very strange day she had already experienced. As it turned out, she never did ask her neighbors about Crispin's report, which might've stopped his scheme in its tracks...